Search results for "molecule"

Carbon Monoxide-Releasing Molecules: A Pharmacological Expedient to Counteract Inflammation

2008

Carbon monoxide (CO) mediates many of the biological effects that are attributed to heme oxygenase (HO), the enzyme responsible for CO production in mammals. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of HO-1, the inducible isoform of heme oxygenase, have been demonstrated in a variety of disease models and a therapeutic exploitation of this pathway is currently under scrutiny. In this context, the liberation of CO from CO-releasing molecules (CO-RMs) is extremely attractive as these compounds may form the basis of a new class of pharmaceuticals. Recent investigations indicate that HO-1 and CO modulate important processes in chronic inflammation; these include the control of immune respon…

Synthetic small molecules as anti-biofilm agents in the struggle against antibiotic resistance

2018

Abstract Biofilm formation significantly contributes to microbial survival in hostile environments and it is currently considered a key virulence factor for pathogens responsible for serious chronic infections. In the last decade many efforts have been made to identify new agents able to modulate bacterial biofilm life cycle, and many compounds have shown interesting activities in inhibiting biofilm formation or in dispersing pre-formed biofilms. However, only a few of these compounds were tested using in vivo models for their clinical significance. Contrary to conventional antibiotics, most of the anti-biofilm compounds act as anti-virulence agents as they do not affect bacterial growth. I…

Mechanisms of nanotoxicity – biomolecule coronas protect pathological fungi against nanoparticle-based eradication

2020

Whereas nanotoxicity is intensely studied in mammalian systems, our knowledge of desired or unwanted nano-based effects for microbes is still limited. Fungal infections are global socio-economic health and agricultural problems, and current chemical antifungals may induce adverse side-effects in humans and ecosystems. Thus, nanoparticles are discussed as potential novel and sustainable antifungals via the desired nanotoxicity but often fail in practical applications. In our study, we found that nanoparticles' toxicity strongly depends on their binding to fungal spores, including the clinically relevant pathogen

Medicinal Mushrooms: Bioactive Compounds, Use, and Clinical Trials

2021

Medicinal mushrooms have important health benefits and exhibit a broad spectrum of pharmacological activities, including antiallergic, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, antiviral, cytotoxic, immunomodulating, antidepressive, antihyperlipidemic, antidiabetic, digestive, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, nephroprotective, osteoprotective, and hypotensive activities. The growing interest in mycotherapy requires a strong commitment from the scientific community to expand clinical trials and to propose supplements of safe origin and genetic purity. Bioactive compounds of selected medicinal mushrooms and their effects and mechanisms in in vitro and in vivo clinical stu…

Mechanism in allergic contact dermatitis.

1993

Embryonic neural cell adhesion molecules on human natural killer cells

1989

The neural cell adhesion molecules (NCAM) are surface glycoproteins that were first described in brain tissue. NCAM mediate adhesion in a variety of cell-cell interactions. In the present study we show that the so-called "embryonic" NCAM, i.e., the highly polysialylated forms of these proteins, are expressed on natural killer cells and some CD3+ cells in man. Homotypic binding of NCAM, believed to be of importance for cell-cell adhesion in neural tissues, appears not to be essential for NK cell-mediated killing. Yet, NCAM might be involved in NK cell migration, homing or related functions.

Alternative pathway activation of T cells by binding of CD2 to its cell-surface ligand.

1987

Activation of resting T lymphocytes is initiated by the interaction of cell-surface receptors with their corresponding ligands. In addition to activation through the CD3 (T3)-Ti antigen-receptor complex1, recent experiments have demonstrated induction of T-cell proliferation through the CD2 (T11) molecule2–4, traditionally known as the erythrocyte(E)-receptor, through which T cells can bind red blood cells (RBC)5–7. This 'alternative pathway' of T-cell activation2 was observed in vitro in response to combinations of anti-CD2 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that bind to distinct epitopes of CD2, such as mAbs against T112 plus T113 (ref. 2). The physiological importance of this activation pathwa…

Stimulator cell-dependent requirement for CD2- and LFA-1-mediated adhesions in T lymphocyte activation by superantigenic toxins.

1992

Abstract The staphylococcal enterotoxins and related microbial T cell mitogens stimulate T cells by cross-linking variable parts of the T cell receptor (TCR) with MHC class II molecules on accessory or target cells. We have used cloned human T cells and defined tumor cells as accessory cells (AC) to study the requirements for T cell activation by these toxins. On AC expressing high levels of CD54 (intercellular adhesion molecule-1, ICAM-1) and CD58 (lymphocyte function-associated antigen-3, LFA-3), mAb to CD2 were relatively ineffective in inhibiting the response to the toxins and antibodies to the lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) did not inhibit at all. If added together, h…

Folate-mediated targeting of polymeric conjugates of gemcitabine.

2005

The synthesis of two new macromolecular prodrugs for active tumor targeting was set up. Gemcitabine (2'-deoxy-2',2'-difluorocytidine) was conjugated to alpha,beta-poly(N-2-hydroxyethyl)-DL-aspartamide (PHEA) through succinyl or diglycolyl hydrolysable spacers. The targeting agent folic acid was attached to the macromolecular backbone through the aminocaproic spacer. The two conjugates [PHEA-(5'-succinylgemcitabine)-1'-carboxypentyl-folamide and PHEA-(5'-diglycolyl-gemcitabine)-1'-carboxypentyl-folamide], were purified and extensively characterised by spectroscopic (UV, IR and NMR) and chromatographic analyses to determine the correct chemical structure, the purity degree and the reaction yi…

Crystal and Molecular Structure of 1,2,4-Triazolium Chloride and its Salt with Antimony Trichloride - Bis(1,2,4-triazolium) pentachloroantimonate(III…

2002

The structures of 1,2,4-triazolium chloride (C2H4N3)Cl and its derivative with antimony trichloride - (C2H4N3)2[SbCl5] · (C2H4N3)Cl containing unsubstituted 1,2,4-triazolium cations were determined. (C2H4N3)Cl crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P21/n with the unit cell dimensions at 86 K: a = 9.425(2), b = 8.557(2), c = 11.158(2)Å , β = 95.87(3)°; V = 895.2(3)Å3, Z=8, dc = 1.566, dm = 1.56(2) g·cm-3.At roomtemperature, crystals of (C2H4N3)2- [SbCl5] · (C2H4N3)Cl are orthorhombic, space group P212121, a = 8.318(2), b = 11.381(2), c = 19.931(4) Å, V = 1886.8(7) Å3, Z = 4, dc = 1.917, dm = 1.91(2) g·cm-3. In both crystals the 1,2,4-triazole rings are planar. The anionic sublatt…